He hesitated for a moment, and then walked right in to the parlour, and she followed him, wiping her red eyes with her handkerchief. "You will sit down?" she said, drawing forward an elbow-chair. He took it from her and placed it so that she could sit down, while he took another. "No," she said softly, "I will stand. Mr Linnell, please sit down." He smiled and looked at her, full of expectancy, while she stood wringing her handkerchief, and puckering up her forehead, her lips parted, and an eager look of pride in her eyes as she gazed at him. "It is very good of you to come," she faltered. "I will say what I have to say directly, but I am very weak, my dear--I--I beg your pardon, Mr Linnell. Don't--don't think me too familiar. You are not angry with me for loving you?" "How can I be angry?" he said quickly. "I am surprised." "You need not be," she said. "You would not be, if you knew more of human nature than you do. Mr Richard Linnell, it is in a woman's nature to desire to cling to and love something. Why should you be surprised that a poor lonely woman like me should love--as a son--the handsomest and truest gentleman we have in Saltinville?" "It is fortunate for me that we meet but seldom, Miss Clode," said Richard, smiling, "if you hold me in such estimation as this." "I do not see why," she said gravely. "You are handsome. You are brave. Do you think I do not know how you fought that duel below the cliff?" "Oh, tut-tut," he said quickly; "let that rest." "Or how bravely you followed that Major Rockley the night when he carried off Miss Dean?" "My dear Miss Clode," said Richard quickly, "we shall be drifting into scandal directly." She looked at him pityingly, as she saw the flush upon his cheeks, and it seemed to be reflected in hers, as she spoke out now eagerly and quickly, as if she thought there was a risk of his taking offence and hurrying away. "I will not talk scandal," she said, standing before him with her hands clasped; "I only want to talk of you--of your future, and to try and stop you before you go wrong." "Miss Clode!" he exclaimed warmly. "Yes," she said; "be angry with me. I expect it, and I'll bear it; I'll bear anything to see you happy. If I had seen you taking the downward course--gambling, or drinking, or intriguing, I should have tried to stop you--tried fiercely, and braved your anger, as I do now. For I must--I will speak." "I have neither been gambling, drinking, nor intriguing, Miss Clode," said Richard laughingly, "so I have not deserved your wrath." "You are mocking at me, boy," she said, with spirit.